Ichabod Crane

One of my favorite Halloween stories is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The spooky story is one that conjures images of foggy forest pathways, a full moon with dark, wispy clouds creeping over its surface, and that feeling of someone chasing you in the pitch black of night. This cocktail brings that image to life. The rosemary gives a woodsy appeal in the form of a garnish and a sweet syrup. The dry ice provides the fog. And the bourbon...well, does one really need a reason to have bourbon? It seemed an appropriate choice. 

In the end, this is really just a twist on the classic Old Fashioned. A sturdy, steadfast drink to calm even the jumpiest of nerves on Halloween night. Ichabod could have used one or two of these, don't you think?

*Note: You can use the dry ice but it is not required. If you do use it, make sure no one gets it in their mouth. Ouch.  

Ichabod Crane

Makes 1 cocktail

• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• 1-2 drop angostura bitters
• 1 teaspoon rosemary simple syrup (recipe below)
• orange twist
• rosemary sprig
• small piece of dry ice (optional)

1. Put the simple syrup and bitters in an old fashioned glass and stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice and add the bourbon.
2. Add the dry ice, if using, and push to the bottom of the glass with a stir stick or spoon.
3. Garnish with an orange twist and a sprig of rosemary.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

Makes 1 cup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large rosemary sprigs

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, add 2 of the rosemary sprigs and barely simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs and allow to cool. Once cooled, transfer the syrup with the rosemary sprigs to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Strain before using the syrup.

*Syrup will stay fresh for 1 week in the refrigerator.

Cocktail Friday: Classic Bourbon Sour with Orange Bitters

When I first started blogging in 2009, I didn't know much about how it all worked. I hadn't been an avid follower of any blogs in the past and I wasn't even sure where to find new ones to read. Fortunately for me, I stumbled upon White on Rice Couple. I was in awe of their photos, recipes, and their fun personalities that came through in every post. I've been following them for nearly 5 years now and it has been so fun watching their passion for food, photography, and life turn into such a great success.

bountiful

Their combined talents are showcased beautifully in their cookbook, Bountiful. If you don't have a copy already, you need to order it asap. If for no other reason than to make this cocktail so you can sip it while gazing at the lovely images and recipes on each page. The amount of love that went into this book is glaringly obvious from the moment you open it.

Bourbon Sour Cocktail | Set the Table

As soon as I saw this Bourbon Sour recipe I knew I needed to make it. I'm on a bourbon kick lately- can you tell? I believe this is the third straight week with a bourbon cocktail and I'M NOT SORRY.

If you follow White on Rice Couple, you know they have amazing green thumbs. In fact, I'd say all of their fingers are green. Their citrus fruit bounty is what makes me swoon every time. This recipe features lemons, which add a beautiful tartness to the warm bourbon. A hint of sweetness from simple syrup and a little complexity from a splash of orange bitters makes this cocktail perfectly balanced.

Bourbon & Lemon Cocktail | Set the Table

There are so many recipes to try from Bountiful, but this is a great place to start. Congratulations, Todd and Diane, on a marvelous work of art! And thank you for being such a huge influence in my own blogging career. You are inspirational!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:48]

Cocktail Friday: The Pumpkin Patch

Of all the holidays, I think Halloween is the one I get the least involved in. I can't watch truly scary movies, I am not great at coming up with creative costumes, and (gasp!) I'm not much of a candy eater. While I may not be on board with all of these things, I am on board with seeing my little boy dressed up in his cute dragon costume, carving pumpkins, and enjoying festive cocktails that reflect the festivity of the season.

Pumpkin Patch Cocktail Ingredients | Set the Table

I stumbled on this cocktail recipe while browsing through Pinterest (are you following me yet?) and I knew it would be delicious. Plus, it uses egg whites which I've been dying to use more in my cocktail recipes. Rather than using the silver tequila as called for in the original recipe, I opted for bourbon. I'm sort of on a bourbon-kick lately and it worked beautifully here.

The Pumpkin Patch {a Halloween Cocktail} | Set the Table

Halloween Cocktail Recipe | Set the Table

This is not really an ideal party drink, but it is ideal for quiet evenings that call for something special to toast with. The frothy top is perfect for supporting a healthy sprinkling of pumpkin spice and balances perfectly with the sweet and sour cocktail below. I might be able to make it through a super scary movie with this in my hand...

Pumpkin Patch Cocktail | Set the Table

The Pumpkin Patch

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail
This recipe is adapted from The Daily Meal.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1 egg white from a medium-sized egg
• 1 3/4 oz apple cider
• 1 1/2 oz bourbon

Instructions

1. Combine the brown sugar, honey, lime juice and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake vigorously until the honey and sugar have dissolved and the egg white is frothy.
3. Add the cider and bourbon and stir gently until just combined.
4. Pour the cocktail into a chilled snifter or other cocktail glass.

Cocktail Friday: Bourbon Apple Cider

Brad and I took our first adults-only vacation together since Riley was born. We had 4 days in Crested Butte, a mountain town in Colorado, filled with getting to know what it is like to have a complete, uninterrupted conversation with each other. We slept in, read, sat at the bar at a restaurant; basically, we did all the things we can't do as parents. By the end of our trip, we were really anxious to get home to our little boy, but it was more than worth it to reconnect.

One night, we went to this wonderful pizza place in Crested Butte. We sat at the bar and watched the end of the Broncos game while sipping on cocktails and enjoying an appetizer. Next, we ordered a pizza which I am still swooning over. There was no rush; we ordered when we felt ready. When they brought the pizza to us, I knew almost before I took the first bite that it would be delicious. This simple pie had a chewy lemon-pepper crust topped with mozzarella, arugula, and shaved Parmesan. Amazing. When I get a good recipe for the lemon-pepper crust you can rest assured it will be here on the blog!

So, what does all of this have to do with this cocktail? Well, this is my interpretation of what we sipped on at the bar. The combination of apple cider mixed with bourbon, garnished with a cinnamon-sugar rimmed glass, a fresh orange wedge and a rosemary sprig is the perfect way to celebrate classic fall flavors. Come to think of it, it's the perfect cocktail for the beginning phases of (gasp!) winter. I was elated when it started snowing and we could curl up in front of the fireplace with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

More apple-y/cider-y recipes:

• Healthy Baked Apples

• Grandma Della's Fried Apples

• Apple Cheddar Scones

• Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup & Pomegranate

• Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Yield: 1

Author: Rachael

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Bourbon Apple Cider

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Ingredients

Bourbon Apple Cider

• 4 oz apple cider
• 2 oz bourbon
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• orange wedge
• rosemary sprig

Instructions

to make this cocktail:

1. Begin by combining the cinnamon and sugar together on a plate.
2. Run the orange wedge around the edge of your cocktail glass. Set the rim of the glass in the cinnamon and sugar then fill the glass with ice.
3. In a shaker filled with ice, combine the cider and bourbon and stir to combine. Strain into your ice filled glass.
4. Garnish with the orange slice and rosemary sprig.

Notes

If you'd like to make this for a crowd, simply stick to 2 parts cider, 1 part bourbon. You can mix the cocktail together ahead of time by combining the bourbon and cider in a pitcher and covering for a day or two until ready to serve.

Did you make this recipe?

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